Bhubaneswar: In a significant move toward fiscal planning and infrastructure expansion, the State Cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Shri Mohan Charan Majhi cleared the proposal for the 2026-27 budget during its 36th meeting held today at the Lok Seva Bhawan Conference Hall.
Following the session, Chief Secretary Smt. Anu Garg briefed the media on the key decisions and departmental approvals, including a major boost for the Integrated Anandpur Barrage Project.
Among the approved measures, the Cabinet sanctioned a key tender for the Integrated Anandpur Barrage Project on the Baitarani River. While the barrage and initial 3,000 hectares of distribution are complete, the government has pivoted to an underground pipeline gravity flow system for the remaining 57,000 hectares to avoid land acquisition delays.
Today’s approval specifically covers one of nine distribution packages, focusing on 4,924.04 hectares of cultivable command area in the Oupada and Bahanaga blocks of Balasore District.
The execution cost for this specific package is set at 105.62 crore, with an additional 5.31 crore allocated for five years of operation and maintenance. Targeted for completion within 24 months, the project aims to drastically improve irrigation efficiency and the socio-economic conditions of local farmers.